Mozobil

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What should I discuss with my health care provider before receiving plerixafor (Mozobil)?

You should not receive this medication if you are allergic to plerixafor, or if you have leukemia.

To make sure you can safely use plerixafor, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease.

FDA pregnancy category D. Do not receive plerixafor if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Use effective birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether plerixafor passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while receiving this medication.

How is plerixafor given (Mozobil)?

Plerixafor is injected under the skin. You will receive this injection in a hospital or clinic setting.

Before receiving plerixafor, you will be given a medication called a granulocyte (GRAN-yoo-loe-site) colony stimulating factor, also called G-CSF. Some examples of a G-CSF are filgrastim (Neupogen), pegfilgrastim (Neulasta), and sargramostim (Leukine).

A G-CSF will cause your bone marrow to produce stem cells and certain white blood cells called granulocytes, which help support your immune system.

Plerixafor works together with the G-CSF by causing stem cells and granulocytes produced in the bone marrow to circulate into your blood stream where they can be collected in blood drawn from your vein.

After your blood is drawn, it will be processed so that the needed stem cells and granulocytes can be separated from other unneeded parts of the blood. These stem cells and granulocytes will then be "transplanted" back into your vein through an IV injection.

To be sure plerixafor is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often during your treatment.